Italy 2027/28 intake from Pakistan: a month-by-month timeline
Italian classes start in late September or October. For students applying from Pakistan, the whole process takes about a year. Here is what to do, and when.
The timeline at a glance
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Sep – Nov 2026 | English test (IELTS 6.0 is a safe target), HEC and MOFA attestation of your degree and transcript, start CIMEA or Declaration of Value, draft your CV and statement, ask two teachers for recommendation letters. |
| Nov 2026 – Jan 2027 | First application windows open (e.g. Cattolica from 18 Nov 2026). University scholarship calls such as Padova's Excellence Scholarship are published around November. |
| Jan – Mar 2027 | Main season for public universities: Padova 7 Jan – 7 Mar 2027; Trento, Milano-Bicocca and Bergamo usually close between February and March. |
| Mar – May 2027 | Later windows: Bologna (Mar–Apr last year), private universities, and Sapienza's MoveIN pre-selection (mid-May last year for visa applicants). |
| Apr – Jul 2027 | Results arrive. Accept an offer, pay any deposit, then complete pre-enrolment on Universitaly. Each university sets its own date, usually by July. |
| Jun – Aug 2027 | Book and attend your study visa (Type D) appointment. Apply for the regional DSU scholarship when its call opens (usually July–September). |
| Sep – Oct 2027 | Travel, apply for the residence permit within 8 days of arrival, get your codice fiscale, and enrol at the university. |
Documents to start now
- Degree and transcript, attested by HEC and then MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
- Recognition of your degree: a CIMEA Statement of Comparability, or a Declaration of Value from the Italian Embassy in Islamabad. Each university says which one it accepts.
- English certificate: most programmes need B2. Some accept a medium-of-instruction letter; many do not.
- Passport valid well beyond your first year.
- CV, statement of purpose, two recommendation letters.
Money you should plan for
- Application fees: usually €30–60 per public university; €100–120 at private ones.
- Tuition: from a few hundred euros to around €3,000 per year at public universities, often reduced by family income.
- Financial means for the visa: about €7,000 per year of study (the 2025 figure was €7,000.97), plus health insurance and proof of accommodation.
The DSU scholarship: start the paperwork early
Each Italian region has a DSU agency that gives income-based grants: a tuition waiver, a yearly allowance and sometimes housing or meals. It is the most useful scholarship for most Pakistani students.
Pakistan is not on Italy's 2026/27 list of "particularly poor countries". So you need an ISEE parificato: official documents on your family's income and property from Pakistan, translated into Italian and legalised by the Italian diplomatic mission. This takes weeks, so start in spring, not in August.
Warning: nobody can "arrange" admission, visas or bank statements. If someone offers that, walk away. Fake documents can mean a permanent visa ban.
Official sources
- Universitaly: pre-enrolment portal
- Study in Italy: Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Padova 2027/28 application windows · Cattolica 2027/28 rounds
- University of Bologna: financial means for non-EU students
- MUR Decree 176/2026: particularly poor countries list
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